Mother Tongue (2010): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2010, Mother Tongue is a notable film directed by Liliana Paolinelli, running about 78 minutes. “Life gives you surprises” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Ruth has been with Nora for fourteen years. Everybody knows about their relationship except for her mother Estela, who has never suspected it. Ruth, who is almost forty, feels the need to confess her homosexuality to her mother, who at first is shocked and collapses on the floor. She then feels the desire to understand her daughter, who has hidden an important part of her life from her for many years. So elderly Estela begins to discover the L-World: she reads books and magazines, she tries to meet her daughter's ex girlfriends and she goes to lesbian nightclubs and meeting-places, creating misunderstandings and comic situations. What does Ruth think about this? At first, she is annoyed by her mother's intrusion into her life, but she will soon understand Estela's reasons and she will rely on her to get over her crisis with Nora. This sharp, amusing comedy deals with the difficult parent-child relationship, which is portrayed through irony and without hypocrisy.

Who’s in it. Mother Tongue stars Claudia Lapacó, Virginia Innocenti, Claudia Cantero and Mara Santucho, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 2.2/10, Mother Tongue has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Mother Tongue page.